Virginia governor orders special session on gun control after Virginia Beach shooting

[Recusant]

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday ordered a special legislative session to address gun violence, four days after a public works employee killed 12 people in a shooting rampage at a municipal building in Virginia Beach. Northam said he would seek universal background checks, bans on assault weapons and suppressors, extreme risk protective orders, child access prevention and other restrictions.

'The nation is watching': Virginia governor orders special session on gun control after Virginia Beach shootings

[URIT]

In other words, the Governor is going to throw the entire progressive anti-gun playbook in the face of legislators and demand they create new laws that even the criminals, rageful, and mentally unstable will obey while taking away some of the ability of the law-abiding gun owners in the state.

[dockmurgw]

I also read that he's exploring the use of executive action if he doesn't get what he wants. This wont be limited to Virginia, a tsunami is coming.

[oneounceload]

Executive Action = tyranny

[gman51]

UH What was the 2nd intended for? Unbelievable what is going on and the 2nd still is ignored by all not just the anti gun nuts. Red Flag laws being passed are so unconstitutional it is a wonder they get passed. 3 a.m. and your door gets busted in thanks to the Red Flag laws. One dead already from these unconstitutional laws.
Rule of law seems to be changed by the few according only to their decisions of what is right or wrong. Where does it all stop or will we be the next country to lose its guns? I do believe we will continue to have these mass shootings till the people demand the guns be taken away. Woe unto us if that happens.

[delcrossv]

Another example of "never let a good tragedy go to waste".

[Watchdog]

Quoting from the linked article (bold print is mine):

"Northam said he would seek universal background checks, bans on assault weapons and suppressors, extreme risk protective orders, child access prevention and other restrictions."

People in Hell want ice water. Just because Governor Northam seeks the things mentioned in the above quote doesn't mean he'll actually get them from the Virginia legislature.

This is a textbook knee jerk reaction on Northam's part to make himself look good, to give the impression he's being proactive. He knows full well that state governors can't introduce legislation. They need legislative "partners" to do that. Right now, he doesn't even know when he'll call this special session.

Bottom line is that right now, it's all talk on the governor's part. There is no legislation proposed yet.

[Chuck24]

More and more Virginia is being controlled by the DC suburbs.

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by WCCPHD

If the VA legislature waits the emotion will dissipate, reason and logic will take over and they will not get what they want. (Which is to disarm the citizens to turn them into subjects.)

My opinion is that's a pretty big "if". Speaking for myself only, I don't have much (if any) faith that emotions will always "dissipate" in time to prevent anti-gun legislation. Emotions certainly didn't dissipate in Connecticut after Sandy Hook or in Colorado after Columbine. We've already seen what happened when emotions didn't dissipate after the Las Vegas massacre and the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Justified or not, all of those incidents generated more restrictive gun legislation.

My opinion is that waiting for anti-gunners' emotions to dissipate is how anti-gun legislation gets passed and becomes law, and repeating the same old clichés about control or eating elephants accomplishes nothing.

And turning citizens into subjects...whose subjects? We are citizens, and our government is comprised of citizens, most of whom are chosen by us. Some are good, some not-so-good, but citizens just the same. This country is not governed by a king, queen, a prince, or a dictator. That's a fact. We have no self-appointed ruler in America.

[Steve K]

Let's not become apathetic and think it will never happen because then it will happen. We need to stay vocal and aggressive.

[Watchdog]

Originally Posted by gman51

3 a.m. and your door gets busted in thanks to the Red Flag laws. One dead already from these unconstitutional laws.

I'm going to guess you're referring to the Fernadale, Maryland man, Gary Willis, who was shot to death by police officers back in November of 2018?

If so, here's a quote from one news report (bold print is mine):

"A 61-year-old man is dead after he was shot by an officer trying to enforce Maryland’s new ‘red flag’ law in Fernadale Monday morning.

That man was identified as Gary J. Willis of same address.
Officials said Willis answered the door while holding a handgun. Willis then placed the gun next to the door.

When officers began to serve him the order, Willis became irate and grabbed his gun.

One of the officers tried to take the gun from Willis, but instead Willis fired the gun.

The second officer fired a gun, striking Willis. He died at the scene."

I won't disagree that any state's Red Flag Law is unconstitutional for several reasons.

But Maryland's Red Flag Law didn't kill Gary Willis. The man died because he did something really really stupid.

We seem to be in an era now wherein law enforcement officers are getting murdered at random by people wielding guns of all types. It's happening with such regularity that it's hardly national news any more. Maybe a paragraph or two in the media and a brief report on national news. Local news media do cover those incidents in greater depth, I'll say that much for them.

If law enforcement officers come to someone's door and identify themselves as law enforcement officers serving a warrant, it's a great idea to do as they say. It's a very bad idea to pick up a gun while talking to them. Someone does something that dumb, what do people think the cops are gonna do? Walk away?

[lrrifleman]

We have been told that the Virginia Beach shooter was armed with 2 45s and a suppressor. Has anyone seen what type of 45s he was armed with, or are we about to see any and every 45 about to be lumped into the deceptive category of "assault weapon"?

[adwjc]

Twelve years ago (2007) a madman murdered 32 people at Virginia Tech.

Here we are all these years later and another madman (literally) commits a similar crime.

What has Virginia done to address mental illness in the intervening years?

[dockmurgw]

Originally Posted by adwjc

Twelve years ago (2007) a madman murdered 32 people at Virginia Tech.

Here we are all these years later and another madman (literally) commits a similar crime.

What has Virginia done to address mental illness in the intervening years?

Good question, and lets take it a step further. I was reading some of the news on this yesterday. The Republican party leadership response to being called backed to special session was that the governors slew of gun controls was not happening, that he can call them back but they don't have to play along. They were in fact going to use the opportunity to address mental illness and harsher sentencing for anyone committing a crime with a gun. The governor said he is against that! So as usual, we have the usual suspects pushing for new laws and controls, while refusing to adequately punish anyone that uses a gun in a crime! Its madness.

[handejector]

Remember, we don't do general political discussion and commentary.
Since this seems to be too much temptation for several of you to stay away from general politics and since it relates to nothing specific that has been proposed, we're done here. Keep us posted on any specific bills that are introduced.